Surgery on wheels for rural communities

The clinical, stark environment, the displacement from his Pukekohe home, the travel, and of course the prospect of dental surgery combine to create a traumatic experience for almost anyone, let alone a youngster.

But on Thursday of last week, Tom went under a general anaesthetic, and had two teeth pulled, in an operation that wasn't performed in a public hospital, but in a truck.

Of course, this is not just any truck. This is a 40-plus tonne, 20-metre long behemoth that incorporates a massive tractor unit and a cleverly-engineered trailer which converts into a fullyequipped surgical unit.

This is the Mobile Surgical Unit, which annually, clocks up over 50,000km, travelling from one rural community to another, and providing specialist surgery options to people within their own communities.